Perks & Benefits

From travelling to work, to shopping and events… we have it covered! We have pulled together the latest perks and benefits which you can access as an apprentice. These range from discounts at some of your favourite high-street retailers, to the travel schemes which are available in your local area.

Be sure to keep an eye on this and check in regularly, because we are constantly on the look out for anything new which may be available to you.

The schemes are offered by organisations which are completely independent from Damar Training and are subject to change. The information below was correct as of February 2023.

Available to All

NUS Extra – for all apprentices

The NUS Apprentice Extra card gets you so much more than just travel discounts, it also gets you discounts from the likes of Amazon, Dominos, Alton Towers and many more! The card costs just £11 for 12 months, and is a great way to stretch your hard-earned cash a little further. You can find out more on their website.

Railcards – for 16-25 year olds

If you are going to be travelling by train, then why not invest in a 16-25 Railcard? The card costs £30, and will entitle you to one third off rail fares. People who have a 16-25 Railcard save an average of £189 per year, and have access to lots of other exciting rewards with the Railcard’s partners. For more information, please visit their website.

Another option for those travelling between the same two stations, would be to purchase weekly, monthly or annual passes. Doing this will work out much cheaper than buying return tickets each day, and generally, the longer the pass, the cheaper each individual journey will be. You can use National Rail’s Season Ticket Calculator to see how much money you could save.

Greater Manchester

The following schemes are only available to apprentices who are based in Greater Manchester.

Our Pass – for 16-18 year olds

Our Pass is a pilot scheme which has been introduced for 16-18 year olds across Greater Manchester. It entitles you to free travel on most buses across the region (full list here), as well as exclusive access to events, offers and discounts. The pass has a one-off £10 administration fee, and you can apply for one on the Our Pass website.

Liverpool

The following are only available to apprentices who are based in Liverpool.

Apprentice Travelcard – for 19-24 year olds

Merseytravel’s Apprentice Travelcard entitles 19-24 year olds in the Liverpool City Region to 50% off travel when buying weekly/monthly passes. For more information and how to apply, please visit the Merseytravel website.

16+ photocard – for 16-21 year olds

Arriva’s 16+ photocard entitles those who are aged 16-21 to discounted bus fares on Arriva services in Merseyside and Lancashire (£1.80 flat fares for a single trip). For more information and how to apply, please visit the Arriva website.

London

The following are only available to apprentices who are based in London.

16+ Zip Oyster photocard – for 16-17 year olds

If you were aged 16 or 17 on August 31^st 2020, then you can apply for a 16+ Zip Oyster photocard. The card entitles you to free travel on buses and trams, and 50% off adult pay-as-you-go fares on all other TfL services and most National Rail services. You can find more information here, and if you are eligible, then you can apply on the Transport for London (TfL) website. Please note that there is a one-off administration fee of £20 for this card.

Apprentice Oyster photocard – for those who are 18+

With an Apprentice Oyster photocard, you can save 30% on adult-rate Travelcards, as well as Bus & Tram season tickets. To be eligible, you need to be 18+, live in a London borough and be in the first year of your apprenticeship. You can apply on the Transport for London (TfL) website. As with the 16+ Zip Oyster photocard, there is a one-off administration fee of £20.

North East

The following are only available to apprentices who are based in the North East.

Go North East travel discounts – for 5-25 year olds

The Go North East discounted passes offer great value for money, covering daily, weekly and monthly bus passes for all 5-25 year olds. For more information, and to see how much you could save, please visit their 5-25 page here.

West Midlands

The following are only available to apprentices who are based in the West Midlands.

16-18 photocard – for 16-18 year olds

If you are under 18, then you can apply for the 16-18 photocard. This allows apprentices to save 50% on the region’s bus and tram network. For more information and how to apply, please visit this website.

Workwise – for all ages

Workwise travel support gives you half-price travel to work for three months if you are starting a new job (including an apprenticeship), after being unemployed/made redundant, or increasing your hours to 16+ in an existing job. For more information and how to apply, please visit the Workwise webpage.

Gloucestershire

The following are only available to apprentices who are based in Gloucestershire.

Thinksmart bus pass – for 16-24 year olds

If you are aged 16-24, live in Gloucestershire, and have an apprenticeship there, then you can apply for a Thinksmart bus pass. This entitles you to up to 100 free journeys on local buses over the course of your apprenticeship. You and your employer can complete an application form here.

Sheffield

There are a series of megariders available for both supertram and bus services across the city. To be eligible, you would need to show either an apprentice card or an NUS extra card, so please ensure that you have one of these first! You can find more information about the megariders here.

“The apprenticeship has helped me to become more disciplined with my work when needed, to set and work towards a goal (not just in the workplace!) and lastly, the training will have an impact on the future choices and decisions that I make in my role going forward.”

Sophie Mash
Legal Admin Apprentice